White House petition proposes space solar power as national energy and space goal

admin0804 — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 20:20:03 +0000

A NASA SPS-ALPHA space-solar-power design concept (artist’s impression). It would capture power from the Sun and send it to Earth. (Credit: NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) )

A petition to the White House to task the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to examine space solar power (SSP) as a new energy and space goal for the U.S. has been posted on the White House WE the PEOPLE website, with a goal of 100,000 signatures by April 3, 2013.

The petition, initiated by SSP pioneer John C. Mankins, reads:

WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO:

Task the Office of Science and Technology Policy to examine Space Solar Power as a new energy & space goal for the US.

New concepts make it possible for solar energy to be harvested in space and delivered 24/7 to markets in the U.S. & globally. Space solar power (SSP) could supply vast new energy while addressing climate concerns.

SSP is now being pursued by other nations (e.g., China, Japan), and energy determines preeminence in space as on Earth.

But SSP falls between the charters of U.S. technology and space agencies (DOE, DOD, NASA), so it’s “no one’s job.” These agencies have existing responsibilities and stakeholders; they are not looking for new goals.

Only the White

House (OSTP) working with Congress can change the policy gridlock in the U.S. and develop a plan to lead international R&D in this game-changing energy/space endeavor.

If you agree the U.S. should lead R&D on SSP, please support this petition.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/task-office-science-and-technology-policy-examine-space-solar-power-new-en

ergy-space-goal-us/fm8kxPQt

“Harvesting solar power in space and delivering clean, inexhaustible energy to humanity has been a vision for more than 40 years,” Mankins, who is currently CTO of asteroid mining company Deep Space Industries, explaine

“Within a decade, perhaps less, the first solar power satellite made from mass-produced modules could be in operation, transforming everything we do in space and the future of energy on Earth. Space solar power is both technically feasible, and could be economically viable — but only if we act to make it so.”d to KurzweilAI. “Now, new technologies and new concepts exist that can transform this vision into a reality.

Read more at: http://www.kurzweilai.net/white-house-petition-proposes-space-solar-power-as-national-energy-and-space-goal